Thirteen Ways to Kind of Say I Like You
by Darth Mer-Mer
Summary: Kagome finds a failsafe way to win Inuyasha's heart, but will it actually work? Updated, now with a new improved Sesshoumaru and Rin chapter! Please R&R!
1. Default

Since everyone was so nice to me about my last series, I decided to start another one. I swear to you all there will be no six week gaps in between updates this time! I felt I was a little hard on our dearest Puppy last time....so now he gets to put up with Kagome's...well, I don't wanna give up too much of the story, but lets just say that Inuyasha is in for a herculean test of patience. Love you all! I own no one, they only live under my bed, bemoaning the death of American Chestnut Trees that went towards the creation of college textbooks...how else would they be this expensive...  
Darth Mer Mer, Momijichan@hotmail.com  
  
Dear Diary,  
I finally got the book! With it I'll finally be able to tell 'him' how I feel! I'm so excited, I   
just know that one of the 13 chapters will tell me a failsafe way to get his heart! I want to tell him so badly, it hurts sometimes. I feel so close to him sometimes and then he gets cold...I just know he's thinking about 'her'...But with this book, I know I can win! There's no way I'll lose!  
More later, I have to read Chapter One now...  
Kagome  
  
Kagome clasped the book to her chest...hope filling her chest and making her heart beat   
fast. As she put down her diary, hiding it under her bed where the sticky fingers of her little brother were too scared to venture, and scooped up the thin paperback book out of the litter of packing tape, stamps and bubble wrap. A stylized picture of a couple embracing blazed on the cover in gaudy colors. The title: "13 Ways To Say I Love You", the subtext: "A guide to win the heart of any man or woman, even the most timid and shy will find this book a true diamond in the rough. Have the one you love and let them know that you will love and care for them forever.", the author (acclaimed of course): "Nao Saotome, acclaimed (told you so) author of "Finding Tough Love in Tough Times." and "1/2 Love, Spliting you Affections". The subtexts of the other books has been omitted to save space.  
So armed, Kagome readied herself for battle. Curled on her bed, the covers pooled   
protectively around her, Buyo purring in one of the folds, Kagome wiggled with excitement. The   
smell of fresh paper wafted to her nose as she opened the pages that would win her his heart. With a satisfying crackle as the pages creased for the first time, unlocking fobidden and magical knowledge to her eager eyes. She licked her lips, placed her fingertip on her mouth and began to read...  
  
This is a prologue...I know it is short...but I am without my spellchecker...work with me! If you like, feedback is like a sugar cube to the tired writer's brain! First person who leaves feedback and an idea for one of the 13 ways Kagome uses I WILL write it in. Love you all, look forward to ideas and comments! 


	2. Chapter 1, Knittin' Mittens

Okay, here's the first chapter and Kagome's own unique interperation of the contents within. Hope that you all like this and feel that it is up to the standard of my other crazy stories. First reviewer, I would like you to name an object or phrase that will be included in the next chapter if you want! Love you all, I own no one...they only live under the bed, munching on Crispix and fighting over my Hello Kitty Nuigurumi.  
Darth MerMer Momijichan@hotmail.com  
  
Dear Diary...  
The first chapter wasn't all that much help...I thought that I had done everything right, but I didn't think that things would have gone as wrong as they did if I had... I wish that everything would have just worked... Perhaps I should have just cooked for him after all. No, all he likes is stupid instant Ramen. I made a veratible feast for him last summer and all he did was scarf it down without a 'thank you' or a 'oh, words can't express how wonderful this meal was, Kagome, please stay with me forever and cook, but more importantly, I love you'. Well, maybe that overreacting a little bit. But it would have been nice for him to have thanked me. Anyway, I guess that the book has 13 chapters for a reason. All the things can work on everyone, that'd be dangerous. Then we'd have people falling for everyone else and then what a mess we'd have. All I have to do is keep trying until I find the right one to make him know that I lo- lo- like him! I won't give up!   
Kagome  
  
Knittin' Mittens  
Kagome stared down at her handiwork. They really didn't look all that bad, she cocked her head and smiled. A pair of red mittens were slowly being born from the glint and click of her knitting needles. She glanced outside her frosty window. Gloves would be perfect! It was just starting to get cold and Inuyasha always kept his hands covered by his sleeves when he could. This way he would rip at the seems in his hakata anymore.  
The book was awesome! I gave instructions on how to do everything and chapter one outlined a number of things that could be given as gifts to show affection. Kagome leaned over and stared down at the passage, her eyes soaking up the words eagerly.  
"If you are truly in love with the person, you should feel like you need to give them a piece of yourself. The best way to do this is to make something special for them. Something handmade is something truly special and will be treasured by your special someone forever. Many people think that a simple meal or cookies are best, and not to say that it's not true that food is the way to someone's heart, but I like to believe that something more lasting makes a more lasting impression! For instance, if a girl were to say, knit a boy a scarf, no matter what it ended up looking like, the boy would like it. A scarf shows that you care about their wellbeing since it keeps a person warm!"  
Kagome didn't have time to knit an entire scarf, even if she used all of the precious time she had in her world, she knew Inuyasha would pop in and see it before it was finished. So mittens it was! Smiling at her bright idea that mittens wouldn't get shreaded as easily as gloves, Kagome hummed as she finished the last row of stitches on the final furry mitten. She blushed and giggled...this would aslo give her a reason to hold his hand if her's ever got chilly. Smiling she didn't even hear the window behind her slide open, letting in a cold, clear draft. As the wind swirled around her bare ankles, Kagome realized that the soon-to-be-owner-of-a-brand-new hand-knitted pair of red-fuzzy-oh-so-warm-and-snuggly mittens was standing behind her, looking over her shoulder.   
Silver strands of Inuyasha's hair slid over her shoulder as she quickly snatched up the book, heaven forbid that he see a guide book for such a thing. His eyes met her's, curious as to why she had just shoved a book under her bottom. Feh, as if sitting on something made it impossible for him to get it. He raised an eyebrow, ready to demand why she hadn't come back to the Sengoku Jidai yet. But before he could utter a word, Kagome stood up and pushed what looked like a set of fat furry caterpillars into his hands.  
"Um, these are for you...I made them." Kagome blushed as bright as the mittens and looked down.   
Stunned into silence, he glanced from the blushing girl, to his hands and back again. The inital shock was wearing off and a sense of panic was starting to inch into his mind. What in the world were they?! The felt good on his calloused hands, but he had no idea what to do with them. And if Kagome caught him simply looking at the things, she'd get mad and sit him through the floor and into the kitchen below.  
Kagome bit her lip...did he like them? She shook her head, this wasn't the time to be all timid! She came right out and asked, "Well, do you like them?" She stared down at his feet...why was he hoping around like that?  
Think, think, THINK! His brain screamed at him. "O-of course!" He stuttered. Oh, gods she was going to look up. Inuyasha did the only thing he knew to do and slid the fuzzy things on.  
As Kagome looked up, her smile froze on her face. "Uh...Inuyasha..."  
He tried hard to look as pleased as he could, but he knew he looked ridiculous with the things on.   
Stifiling a giggle, Kagome wished she had a camera...this was too priceless. Inuyasha, son of the great Dog God of the East was standing in her bedroom with a brand-new hand-knitted pair of red-fuzzy-oh-so-warm-and-snuggly mittens firmly fitted over his ears. Finally laughing, Kagome reached out. "No, you wear them on your hands silly!" She gently pulled the mittens off his flicking ears, and slipped them over his hands. "See?"   
Inuyasha blinked and held his hands up in front of his gold eyes. "Wow, they're so warm..."   
Kagome blushed again... "I'm glad that you like them. Are you ready to go back?"  
Silenced by the kind gift, he nodded. Still staring at his hands and wiggling his thumbs, he felt Kagome clamber onto his back.   
Tucking her knees securely around the hanyou, Kagome smiled and ran her fingers through his long silky hair. Wow, the book was working really fast...Kagome thought to herself. He really seemed to like the mittens.  
Inuyasha snapped out of his fuzzy thumb trance and wrapped his hands around Kagome's legs and lept out the window. But halfway down, he felt her slip. He desperately grabbed for her legs again, but again her smooth skin slipped out of his grasp, white skin sliding effortlessly over the red wool. In a last ditch effort to keep from dropping her, Inuyasha started as his sharp claws tore through the loving stitches that Kagome had made for him.   
Letting out a little yelp of surprise Kagome fell off his back and fell the last three feet to the ground only to land unceremoniously on her rump on the cold hard ground. In a flash Inuyasha was by her side, eyes worried.  
"Kagome, are you okay?!" He was trying to look over every inch of her without her seeing his hands and her ruined gift. His heart beating hard in his chest, he peeked at his hands and choked back what almost felt like tears for the shreaded mittens.   
Black hair covering her face, Kagome tried to stand. Her legs still numb from the fall, she tipped and started to fall. Inuyasha's strong hands shot out to catch her and cradled her before she had another encounter with the ground. A strong wind whipped Kagome's hair out of her eyes, and they fell right on Inuyasha's hands. Claws poking out of the tops of the furry crimson wool, Inuyasha grimaced and snaked his hands back up his sleeves.  
In that instant, Kagome felt her fragile hopes shatter like ice crystals. No mittens, no holding hands in the cold, no warm hands and fingers for Inuyasha...sniffing, she too gulped down her dissapointed tears and looked up.  
"I'm sorry Kagome..." He opened his mouth and then continued... :"I really liked them...I just guess that maybe I shouldn't wear them..." He scratched at his head, unsure of what to say.  
Kagome's eyes slowly lit, he said he liked them...that was a start. Her chin slowly raised. "I understand. It wasn't your fault." She smiled...oh, well there were still 12 chapters in the book. If the first chapter worked everytime what use was the rest of the book? She glanced up to see Inuyasha staring forelornly at his hands. Weaving her hand into his she said, "Don't worry. In my time, it's very stylish for you to cut out the tops of your mittens!"   
His gold eyes lit up. "Really?" A small smile started to overthrow his sad frown. Wow, he was stylish and he was wearing a one of a kind pair of me-tens made by Kagome. Puffing up his chest he tossed the me-ten maker onto his back and grinned. "Let's go home!" He lept torwards the well.  
Kagome nestled into his back and thought. "Just you wait, Inuyasha, I'll get your heart yet!" She clutched at the precious book, hidden under her blouse and grinned.   
  
Okay...sleepy...going to bed. Hope you all liked it...hope there aren't too many spelling errors! Love you all, goodnight!  
Darth Mer Mer 


	3. Chapter 2, Write it like it is

First thanks go to kmf-chan! Arigatou for the idea! C-Chan, you weren't the first to review, but your comment was so classic it's going in! Recently in a World Lit class, I had the pleasure of reading the Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki for the first time. It was a wonderful book and one of the chapters delt with how Genji and one of his many conquests exchanged a Haiku Diary book...sorta... well, you get the idea. But many still believe that the great Haiku poets, like Bassho wrote poems more beautiful than Shakespeare. Well, please tell me what you think! If you like it, please leave feedback. Love you all! I own no one, they only live under my bed, stunned by the fact that Inuyasha is going to be on Cartoon Network's Toonami.  
  
Dear Diary,  
I mustn't give up, I mustn't give up! I MUSTN'T GIVE UP! After the mittens, I didn't think that I could do much worse. Usually, what I did wouldn't have been a problem...but I guess that I overdid it a bit...BUT! It's all good! I'm only through chapter 2, there are eleven more to go and I'm sure that the author had to put some of the simpler things in the front! I won't lose...at least he smiled at me...and he's still toting the mittens around with him. He keeps them in his sleeves and puts them on when he thinks no one is watching! More tomorrow, dear diary!   
Kagome  
  
From her safe place behind Kaede's hut, Kagome thumbed through the pages of her trusty love guide. The words of the acclaimed Nao Saotome were so simple, yet they spoke volumes to Kagome's young heart. When she thought about it...the answer was so simple. Kagome bit her lip...surely it would work. How better to tell someone you liked them than with words. And everyone knew that the best words in the world were the most simple. She nodded her head, determined and proud. She had read Genji in school...  
  
Chapter 2, Write it Like it Is...  
'Many people know that it takes lots of good communication for a relationship to work or even get off the ground for that matter. An age old method of telling someone that you care is by writing a love letter or love poem. My suggestion is a poem, simple words speak so much to the heart, more so than any lengthy letter. Take notes from the classics...some masters were able to write volumes about love and all its splendors. But when asked what the most important words in the world have been, most people will say that there were only three tiny words that changed their lives forever. Only eight letters, yet they have such power over the human heart. These words are the imortal, 'I love you.''  
Clutched in her hand was an inkstick, a grind stone, a horse hair brush with soft bristles and a sheet of parchment paper. Kaede had handed all this over only shaking her head as Kagome explained her plan of attack. Inspired by the words in her book, she knew she could triumph over anything. Sitting down beside the hut, Inuyasha in plain sight napping in a tree, she began to write...  
Ten minutes later, she understood why Haiku were so popular; they were next to impossible to write. No wonder there were so few popular Haiku authors...Kagome shifted through the sea of crumpled paper balls and began again. A cold breeze numbed her fingers...maybe the writing would be easier inside...her mind kept wandering to the fact that her hands were about to suffer from frost bite. No, she couldn't go inside, then everyone would know what was going on...then she'd have to giggle about it with Sango and deny all the comments from Miroku...no, it was deffinately better to stay out here. Tapping her head, she prayed that maybe her cold finger could bore into her uninspired mind and kick start her inspiration.   
Above, Inuyasha rolled over on the tree branch, one hand slipping down to dangle in the cold wind. She felt her heart warm her chest, each beat carrying warmth and inspiration to her tired, cold limbs. On his hand were her torn, hand made, fuzzy, red mittens. His fingers stuck proudly through the holes his claws had made. The ice on her skin melted and each drop fused with the ink as Kagome finally found the words that were hidden deep in her heart.   
  
Ice had found my heart,  
Then you melted all the fears  
By waving your hand.  
  
Kagome grinned, her heart thumping in her chest as the sun set slowly below the mountains. The smell of hot food would wake him soon...she had to think of a way to get it to him before everyone else noticed...she needed a delivery service...and she knew just where to find one.  
  
Inside the warm hut, Shippou sneezed as he helped the others cook dinner. Sango looked up as Miroku blew on the fire where Kaede-bachan was stirring the stew. "Shippou, if you're cold, get closer to the fire." She said softly to the kitsune.   
Shippou ran a tiny hand under his nose... "Nah, I just sneezed for no reason..." He took a moment to think, shrugged his little shoulder and when back to practicing cooking the carrots with his foxfire attack. Suddenly, his little shoulders shook. "Woah...that felt like a premonition...." He thought to himself just before someone snatched him out the door by the back of his collar. He would have yelped, but a hand slapped firmly over his mouth before any sound escaped. The split second before he panicked completely, his abductor showed her face, turning his alarmed look into one of sheer adoration. "Kagome-chan!"  
Smiling, Kagome cuddled the little kitsune to her chest and walked towards the tree. "Listen, Shippou-chan. I need you to do something for me, okay?" Kagome knew that the little fox would help her...it also didn't hurt that he couldn't read.   
Shippou nodded, eyes as big as saucers. Wow, Kagome is coming to me for help! Me, not Inuyasha...He grinned, pride puffing out his chest and raising his chin.   
Oh, he is just too cute, she thought to herself as she perched the kitsune on the lowest branch of the tree better known as Inuyasha's napping spot. Carefully, she pulled out the parchment with her poem on it, relishing the feel of the rough paper on her fingertips. Without thinking of what she was doing, she swiftly touched her wind parched lips to the bottom of the poem before handing it and the inked brush to Shippou. "Okay, this is what I need you to do..." She leaned over and whispered conspriratorally in his ear. "Take this to Inuyasha...tell him it's from me and I want him to write me something back, okay?"  
Shippou studied the paper, turning it this way and that. "What is it?" His eyes slid from the poem to Kagome's face.   
Her cheeks pink from the nippy air, turned even redder. "Please just do it..." She placed a quick kiss on the top of the child's head when he nodded and started up the tree. Kagome watched until he was halfway up, then sprinted to her hiding spot beside the hut.  
  
Inuyasha woke from a stange but oddly comforting dream about Kagome dressed in warm fuzzy stuff to find a pink transformed Shippou gnawing at his head. Annoyance flowed freely from the fist that bopped the fox youkai on the head. "Shippou..." He growled menacingly, ready to toss the kid out of the tree unless he was about to tell him the secrets of the universe, or something even more important, like dinner was finally ready.   
Backing out of the hanyou's reach, Shippou thrust the paper and brush at him.  
Raising an eyebrow, Inuyasha growled again and showed his teeth. If this was something stupid, so help him...  
"It's from Kagome."  
Oh, that was okay, then. He snatched the precious items away from the kitsune before the little runt burned them up with his damned fox fire. Turning the page over, he slowly read the short haiku. He narrowed his eyes, read it again then glared at Shippou. The confusion was plain on his face.  
"She said to write her something back." He said, nose in the air. "When you're done, I'll take it to her and she'll send back another reply."  
"Uh, why?"  
Shippou blinked, it had never crossed his mind to second guess Kagome's motives. "Uh, I donno."  
"Oh..." Inuyasha swung his legs down and straddled the tree branch. He quickly scribbled something down after a moment of thought and passed it to the messenger. Huge grin on his face, he sat back and watched as the child dissapeared around the corner of the hut.   
  
Kagome's eye twitched...Inuyasha was making this unbelievably hard. Could he just be normal and write another poem to suppliment hers? Oh, no, not the Great and Almighty Inuyasha. On the paper was these lines. "Yo, Kagome, sorry you are cold, I don't remember waving at you, I was asleep...is dinner ready yet?"  
She quickly wrote a reply and handing it back to Shippou told the child to explain that the first line needed five syllables, the second seven and the last, five again. He nodded, asked her to tell him one more time to make absolutely sure that he knew what to say and headed back to the tree.  
  
"Oh..." Inuyasha actually listened as Shippou repeated the required formula for a haiku. He read the paper...  
Hair shines like silver,  
Your gold eyes, the most precious  
Treasure that I know...  
Twirling the brush in his fingers, Inuayasha contemplated what he should write. In his mind he chanted the mantra five, seven, five over and over until he finally got it down on paper.  
Shippou made another run from the tree to the hut...  
  
Kagome growled...this wasn't good. She had half a mind to crumple up the paper...but sighed, and tried again. Inuyasha's poem took up most of half the paper:  
My stomach's empty,  
I see your forehead below,  
Wow...it's so shiny.  
Under the inspired, lyrical verse of Hanyou Inuyasha, a slightly perturbed Kagome tried again.   
The hunger is vast  
Deep rifts in my heart's valley   
Filled by your smile.  
  
Poor Shippou's feet were getting tired...he wished that Kagome had choosen a closer hiding place. He transformed and floated up to the hanyou, who at the moment resembled a little kid swinging his feet back and forth with a huge grin on his face. "Well, did she like that one?"  
Shippou sighed, shook his head and passed him the newest poem.  
He regarded it for a moment... "You know, Kagome's actually pretty good at this mushy 575 stuff." Biting his lip, he tried to make one as nice as hers. His competitive spirit flared with the challange.  
  
Kagome sighed, resigned to the fact that this chapter in her book wasn't going to work either... She reread the poem again...at least this one had taken longer than two seconds to write.   
As the sun sets low,  
I can see your eyes like flames...  
  
She stopped reading. Well, at least it had been romantic up until that point. Kagome briefly wondered it it would be fair to take the poem home and cut off the last line. If not for the final stanza, it would have been perfect...but no, in classic Inuyasha style, it had only taken a little to mess up something so sweet. Well, Nao Saotome had said that words were powerful...although, Kagome would have prefered the eight letter world shaker... She read the poem all the way to the end...  
As the sun sets low,  
I can see you eyes like flames...  
that cook my dinner.  
  
Kagome sighed and started to read chapter three....  
  
Okay, same deal, first review gets an idea, phrase, item, etc. woven into the next chapter! Love you all, if you like please leave feedback. Darth Mer Mer 


	4. Chapter 3, The Sweet Smell of Defeet

A short chapter…Gomen! Consider it a nibblet…the ideas you all gave me were spectatular and I am trying to get them in. It'll take a little bit of time, though. Love you all, I own no one, they only live under my bed futzing with the air conditioning.

Darth Mer Mer, oh look! New email! DarthMerMer@hotmail.com make me happy, test it out! I WILL respond!

Dear Diary, 

I am writing this as I plan my next strategy. He's asleep now…I'm not really sure why he's in here but he is. But little does he know that he's fallen into my plan perfectly. Chapter 3 is a milestone that will render the rest of the chapters useless, I just know it! 

Kagome

The icy, soft light of dawn dripped down through the slatted window of Kaede's hut. A sliver of silver light inched its way slowly until it poked at the edge of Kagome's dark lashes. The girl huddled further into her coverlet, curling around the warmth her body had made below the downy quilt. Drifting slowly out of her dreams her sleepy eyes fluttered open. Kagome parted the dark curtain of her hair away from her eyes and watched as her breath crystallized in the morning air. 

Glancing at her companions she noticed that everyone was still sleeping. Kaede-baachan was snoring peacefully next to Sango, who's arm was around Kirara. Miroku was on the other side, with Shippou tucked securely under one arm, mumbling something about Sango's bottom while stroking the kitsune's head. But what had really surprised her was the fact that Inuyasha was quietly dozing in the corner, leaning on his sword as he slept. Biting her lip, her eyes lit up and she darted under the coverlet again. 

Somewhere in her book, she had read how to take advantage of this situation. She tented the covers just a smidgen so the first rays of light could fit under the bed with her. She flipped through the pages of the book until she found the bookmark. On the small slip of paper was Inuyasha's haiku. "As the sun sets low, I can see you, eyes like flames…" She had folded down the last line, it was more romantic if she didn't have to face the fact the entire poem dealt with food…Carefully tucking it away, she began to read.

"Now, many people think that huge and extravagant displays of affection are the way to get someone's attention. Myself, having a husband and a marriage that has weather through many perils, trips to China and an arranged marriage for our son, do not agree with this. Many may end up even embarrassing the person they are trying to tell their feelings to. Most of the time, it is the smaller things that people don't even know about that can boost your courage for a more direct approach later." Kagome pillowed her dark head on her arm as she rolled the concept around in her mind. So, even things that might go unnoticed were a good idea, huh? 

Ever so slowly she poked her head out from under the covers. Her dark eyes flitting to the serene face of the dozing Inuyasha. He must be tired, to be sleeping like that, she thought. He also had to be freezing in the cold air of morning. She tilted her head as her hair fell in front of her face. Well, he didn't look too cold, he was half demon after all. Sighing, her breath dancing with the stands and tendrils that tickled her cheeks, Kagome rolled to her side.

The sun striped his hair dark gray and glowing white as the chill air slipped icy fingers through the window slats. His face, peaceful in sleep, seemed much younger than he usually looked. Kagome bit her lip…something unnoticed. What in the world? If she did something that he would never notice, where did that leave her. She didn't think it would make her braver, it would only make her angry. Bowing her head in defeat she knew that her imagination would only run away with itself again, leaving her behind to believe that Inuyasha was insensitive not to notice something that was supposed to be unnoticeable. She spared a moment to blow on her cold hands as the started to sting. As her breath tickled her smarting fingers, the idea hit her like a strike of lightening. 

For a moment she hid, letting the idea form and bloom in her head like a late cherry blossom. It was perfect…and he'd never know that she had done it. If he did wake up, she could pretend to be asleep and then he'd think he did it by accident. She grinned and evil glint in her eye, and if he did think that, he'd be too embarrassed to say anything about it! The answer lay in his feet…

They were his only opening. That and they were the only piece of skin exposed at the moment other than his face. They had to be cold…in her mind she could hear them, their pleas falling on deaf puppy ears. "Oh, Inuyasha, we're sooooo cold…" The right foot turned to the left, "He can't hear us, Lefty…what should we do?" The right foot turned to Kagome, "Look, maybe that girl Kagome that we walk with all the time would help us!" The both turned and beckoned with the toes who joined the chorus. "Kaaaagoooome! Help keep us warm!"

She shook her head, wow, it must have been earlier than she though. Peeking back above the edge of her blanket, the feet had returned to normal feet again. She re-read the passage in her book and scribbled a few notes in her diary. Rallying her courage, actually she had to yank it out of a corner in her id, she gathered up her bedding and scooted towards the sleeping hanyou. In her mind, she was sure that this was going to work and each step she took, the grandness and sheer brilliance of her idea grew and expanded until she was positive that the answer to get true love was as simple as being an overrated foot warmer. She silently curled up next to the dreaming half demon. Quickly tossing her blankets around both herself and his feet, she feigned sleep to make sure the feel of a warm blanket didn't wake him. 

The warm gooey feeling in her chest expanded into a sea of warm fuzziness. This was sooo romantic! His feet were nestled in the crook of her shoulder, her hair draping over them in a soft cover. Her heart started to beat in triple time. She giggled as she felt his feet slowly get warmer now that she was near. Then she stopped. 

She waited…

A minute passed.

She sniffed...

Her smile started to wilt a bit…

Something smelled…

Something smelled really bad.

The smell was coming from his feet…

His feet smelled like…well, it wasn't something that a lady would say…

Her eyes started to cross as the smell wafted out of the covers and assaulted her nose. She very slowly started to scoot away…strike chapter three, she thought crossly. Gods, now all she could think about was trying to wash out her hair…Still mumbling grumpily she fell back asleep, her fingers poised on the page that started chapter four… it was titled, "Common Interests."

To be continue…

Hi guys, I hope you all don't think this one is below par…school's started again, and It's sucking the creativity out of my soul faster than a four year old with a pixie stick. Leave feedback if you want…for this one I won't blame you if you don't. G'night, love ya! Darth Mer Mer


	5. Chapter 6, All You Had To Do Was Ask!

Hello all, hope you like this chapter! I can't wait for it to snow…Lots of fluff coming up so be warned those who are weak of tooth, major cavities await. Love you all, I own no one they only live under my bed, plotting about NekoCon.

Darth Mer Mer

__

Dear Diary,

The first snow of the season is so much more beautiful here in the Sengoku Jidai than in modern Tokyo. There are no cars to make the roads slushy and dingy, the sun is so bright here that it's almost impossible not to feel like you're in another world! There's almost two feet of snow outside, which explains why Inuyasha was inside with us this morning. Unfortunately, my hair still feels dirty and I want a bath so badly I'd give up just about anything to get one so I'd be clean. But I guess that it's too cold now to do anything about it. I think I'll read a little more while the others are out doing whatever they do.

  
Kagome

Chapter 5, All You Have to Do is Ask!

Kagome looked down at the book and read the title of chapter five in her book. 'Common Interests' …the title plagued her. The only thing that she could think of that was a common interest between herself and Inuyasha was the Shikon no Tama and gathering the shards. Well, maybe that was a little too harsh, but still. It was difficult to think of anything at all she had in common with the hanyou. Sighing she shut the book and went to start breakfast since everyone but herself and Shippou had gone out to do who knows what. 

Shippou clambered over and curled up in Kagome's lap as she stirred the miso soup in the large cauldron next to the crackling fire. The light lit his fine fur, tingeing it gold in the crisp air. "Kagome, can I ask you something?" He looked up at her, his eyes searching though a curtain of thick hair.

"Sure, Shippou-chan, what is it?" Her hand went down and gently petting his head, like she would have done if Buyo had been there instead. 

He hesitated and curled closer to the girl. "Well, what's going on with you and Inuyasha?" 

Kagome almost dropped the spoon at the question. She had taken for granted the perceptive powers of the young. Deftly grabbing the end of the spoon before it slipped into breakfast, she quietly whispered, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're doing a lot of nice things for him and no one else…" He bit his lip. "Like the things on his hands…normally you would have made some for everybody, not just him. And those papers…" He shook his head and blew on his tiny hands to keep them warm as if to rub his point in a little deeper. 

Kagome sighed and then looked around to make sure that everyone else had left and was safely out of earshot. "Can you keep a secret?"

The baby youkai looked up at her with complete sincerity making his eyes glow in the morning light. Unconsciously wiggling with excitement, he nodded his head, "Of course!" 

Kagome stood up, tucking the child under her arm and walked to her futon. Rummaging around under the heavy quilt she pulled out her book. She held it up and started to explain. She had yet to tell anyone other than her mother that she liked the snowy haired hanyou, and even then the concept had been only in the abstract. Was it really wise to tell Shippou? But of all the group, it was probably safest to let him keep her secret. But she was a little worried about what the child would think. She knew that Shippou loved her, would this be too big a shock for him? "See, I am trying to let Inuyasha know how I feel…"

The young kitsune nodded, "Okay…"

"But it's complicated…"

"You love him, right? What's complicated about that?" He cocked his head to the side and peered up at her.

Kagome stopped, blushed and then continued stirring the soup, ignoring Shippou as he flipped the pages of the book in search of pictures. She had underestimated the knowledge of youth as well, it seemed. Kagome only continued to blush… "Ne, Kagome?" He peeked up at her again. "Would this work?" He pointed to a page in Chapter 6... 

Kagome looked down, read part of the page and grinned. She tossed Shippou in the air, caught him up in a huge hug and kissed the top of his smart little head.

It was so simple it was absurd. But this way, she could get what she wanted and get a step closer to being able to tell him how she felt. The chapter had outlined one simple thing that she had overlooked. Asking for help…and even thought he didn't admit it, Kagome was positive that Inuyasha didn't mind helping her out. Bundled in every stitch of clothing she had brought with her, she ventured out into the snow bright world. 

Her feet crunched through the snow as she cut a trail to the snowy pine tree where she knew her prey was hiding. The cold air kissed her cheeks tingeing them pink. The last of the day's snowflakes landed on her hair and eyelashes as the blue sky fought to rule the sky. The numbness in her feet didn't even bother her as she laid her cold hands on the trunk of the tree. She called up smiling, "Hey, Inuyasha! Are you up there?"

There was a moment of silence, but a few of the snow laden branches moved more than the wind would have power to do. 

"Ne, Inuyasha! I need you to help me with something."

Again there was silence, but branched closer to the ground wiggled this time. On a branch cushioned between sweet smelling evergreen and cold, clear snow, Inuyasha stared down at Kagome with wary eyes. She had been acting funny…he had seen her inch away from him as he woke that morning. Now she was asking him to help her with something. In a very hesitant voice he called down, "Help you with what?"

Kagome opened her mouth to reply, then realized that she hadn't thought about what he needed to help her with. Stuck dumb by her own stupidity, it was her turn to be silent for a moment.

"Well, what d'ya want?" He glared down at her. Honestly, what was up with her?

Kagome mind blanked whiter than the new snowfall. "Uh…"

"Close your mouth woman, the snow will melt in there and you'll drown." He chuckled as Kagome's normal glare crossed over her face. "If you don't remember what you wanted, go away an' leave me alone."

That got her thinking. "Inuyasha!" She growled, "SIT!"

The snow at least muffled his fall. He looked up as Kagome started to laugh then chuckled on his own as the entire half of her side of the tree let loose its snow, dumping it right on top of the girl.

With a startled yip, Kagome felt the cold snow snake into her collar, around her face and arms and seep through her clothing. For a split second, the white stuff clogged her mouth and nose, cutting off her air. Then Inuyasha pulled her from the massive snow dune. The light broke through again and she was being toted like a baby in his arms. Shivering she looked up, her teeth chattering as Inuyasha looked down at her, shaking his head. "You okay?"

She tried to nod, but the cold kept her shivering so badly she couldn't even manage that. Startled, she felt Inuyasha pull her closer to his body as he sprinted to the hut. "S-sorry. I g-guess tha-that I lost muh-my temper…"

"Feh," He looked ahead, "Don't worry about it. It's more important that we get you warm soon."

Back at Kaede-barchan's hut, curled up under the cover of her futon, Kagome continued to shiver and glared at Inuyasha as he demanded something of her she really didn't want to do. 

"Come on! Take off your clothes!" He growled.

"Nuh-nuh-no!"

His eyes narrowed. "Look, I'm trying to be nice here…" He crept towards her, eyes set just as stubbornly as the girl in front of him.

Shippou looked up silently from his place on Kagome's lap. She was radiating cold, fine drops of melting snow dripped onto his head. 

Teeth chattering she shook her head, there was no way.

"Look, you are gonna freeze if you don't get out of those wet clothes." He growled.

"I'll fuh-freeze even faster if I'm neh-naked." She bundled the covers closer around her and scooted away from the fuming hanyou. She was so cold…and shivering so much she looked blurry to Inuyasha's eyes. 

He bit back the words that longed to jump off his sharp tongue and snap at her. His white hair bristled as his anger slowly seeped through. He was more mad at himself than Kagome. He had had plenty of time to push her out of the way before the snow buried her. But he hadn't done it…all because he was being petty. Now she was here practically shivering to death before his eyes for no good reason at all. "Look, I'll tell you again. I have a hot bath set up outside, all you have to do is go and get in it and I'll leave you alone!"

Kagome shrunk under the cover… "Tuh-there's no suh-such tuh-tuh-tuh-thing." She spat out between her chattering teeth. Everyone knew that there were no such things as hot baths in the Sengoku Jidai, other than hot springs that was. 

Shippou looked up, gently rubbing his tiny hands up and down Kagome's arms, trying to create some sort of warmth. "He's telling the truth Kagome, there's a big metal tub outside that you can stand up in. And he's got a fire under it an' brought up all the water and heated everything up for you."

The look in her eyes faltered just a hair. Her mind was reading the paragraph in the book, safely hidden under her futon. "Sometimes we get so caught up in how we appear to someone we like that we overlook the fact that it means more to lean on them in times of need instead of simply running ahead of them." She shook her head, partly to get rid of the words, half to oppose Inuyasha's absurd idea of her going around naked where he could see her.

He growled one more time. "Fine," The words seethed as he leapt at her, "Sit me all you want, but I won't just sit here and let you freeze!" 

Before she could force the word out from behind the prison of her teeth, his warm hands were around her and wrapping her in his red coat. He stepped back before she could do anything else and slipped out the door.

"Just wear that out and get in the tub." He looked over his shoulder, an almost sad look on his face. "I promise I won't look…but I know that you don't trust me so I guess that doesn't mean much to you." 

Kagome's eyes went wide. She hadn't meant it like that at all. She just shook her head, wrapped the coat tighter around her as Shippou hopped out after Inuyasha. What a mess she'd made…what a mess indeed.

Outside, Inuyasha was blowing on the fire, getting the water as warm as he could on the cold day. Stupid woman…he thought. As much as he wanted to be angry with her, he was only sad…after all this time, she still didn't trust him. Feh, it had been stupid to expect her to in the first place…he blew on the fire again, but his breath seemed to be taken away by the sad fist that was tightening in the bottom of his stomach. All he'd ever be was just a stupid-

"I'm sorry…" Kagome wrapped her arms gently around his back, her hands hidden by his coat sleeves. 

His ears twitched as the last thought in his mind was swept away by Kagome's scent and cold arms. He sighed, "It's okay…I was just worried about you."

She was still shaking, only this time it wasn't just the cold…Inuyasha lifted her up and sat her on the edge of what looked like a metal oil drum. He quickly turned around and started for the hut when Kagome's soft voice stopped him. "No, it's okay, I trust you…" He heard cloth untie and gulped. "Inuyasha, hold onto the back of this while I get in okay?" 

Eyes wide, yet averted, he raised a shaking hand to hold the collar of his own coat as Kagome slipped out of it and into the warm water, the pale skin of her neck visible for half a second before her dark hair spread out like ink on the water. Again he tried to retreat to the hut. 

"Wait…Inuyasha…" She called out shyly.

He stopped, dropped to his haunches and waited.

"I…"

Ears twitching, he crept closer and started to stoke the fire under the bath again. "Is it warm enough?"

Kagome relished the feel of the water seeping warmth into her icy limbs. She sighed, tilting her head back to watch as the snow started to fall again. "Yes." She smiled, "Thank you for letting me lean on you."

He glanced up, confused for a second, before lowering his head again as a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he continued to stoke the fire.

Wai! Another one done! Yippee. Feedback me please! Or email me, I love hearing from people! DarthMerMer@hotmail.com Night all! Love ya!


	6. Chapter 4, Affections Touching For a Sho...

Eh-heh…ah, well, back to this one again. I think I jinxed myself by saying this was thirteen. Oh well, here goes. Back a few chapters for Kagome. Love you all, I own no one…they only live under my bed eating Cheetos and making messes. Darth Mer Mer

__

Dear Diary,

Well, today was interesting to say the least. After my bath, I got back to bed and realized that I had skipped an entire chapter. Things are looking up…sorta. But I think I may have goofed it up at the end. Oh, well, there's always another chapter.

Kagome

Chapter 4, Affections Touching (in a short amount of time…)

The bath had made the girl bold. If she hadn't skipped those two chapters she would have never acted on the outlines for the fourth chapter. Perhaps it would have been wiser in the long run. Kagome was turning so gung ho that her better judgment was starting to slip…basically she hadn't realized the blatant inconsistencies in her book. It seemed like Mrs. Nao Saotome had some good idea. But ideas are sometimes different than realities. 

Kagome woke early to the sound of winter birds singing in the crystalline, crisp winter air. Peeking around the edge of her cover, she found the others still snoozing peacefully. Grinning, she ruffled the pages of her book lovingly staring at the wealth of knowledge that lay within. Curling closer to Kagome, Shippou tucked himself tighter to her stomach for warmth. 

Somehow, that small movement and his closeness comforted the teenager. It was true what they said about humans needing touch to survive and feel safe. She herself, felt safest when she was on Inuyasha's back. No matter how high they were, Kagome always found time to ignore the distance to the ground and study the strong lines of Inuyasha's jaw and neck. 

Looking down at her tome, Kagome noticed that three or four pages were dog-eared and stuck together. "Hn, that's weird." She quietly unfolded the pages and slid her fingers between the pages to dislodge them. Grimacing at the old gum she found there, Kagome leaned down closer in the low light to read the title. "What? I missed an entire chapter?" Her eyes widened. It was if the book had read her mind. 

In dark ink on the sticky page were the words, "Body Language." Her breath caught in her throat. Wasn't that a little early for something like that? A blush spread over her cheeks. She read on. 

"People need to be touched. If you like someone, start making little shows of affection through touching. Now, this doesn't mean anything major. Just small things, like brushing a hair away from their eyes (Granted now that Genma, my husband is bald, I can no longer do that…) or just brushing against them. The best way to start is to touch ten times. As much as you want things to be a certain way, deep down you can normally tell how things actually are. If it feels like there's a spark, take confidence from that and move on to something a bit more daring. Some things, like kissing should be saved for later, but if it's going well, have at! Think of the reward!" 

Sighing, she bit her lip and curled back under the covers. This one was going to be a little more difficult. Her hand found Shippou and gently stroked his head as he slept. 

Later that morning, Inuyasha started out for the forest to find some more fire wood. The majority had been used for Kagome's bath last night. Not that he minded, after all that he needed a little alone time to think about things. Well, not things really, just Kagome. She had been acting so strange lately. Feh, he snorted, she was probably just sucking up to go home again. He sighed. He didn't want her to go home. 

"Inuyasha!"

He froze, here it came. There was no other reason for Kagome to be up this early. She was probably going to announce her return trip now. Then they'd have to fight and argue. His ears drooped.

"Inuyasha," She appeared at his side, trotting through the snow, her breath making small clouds that framed her windblown cheeks. "Can I-"

Good grief, if she asked him now, looking all cute and pretty and stuff, there'd be no way he could say no. His mind groaned, maybe she'd come back soon or something.

"-go with you?" She turned her eyes up to his, surprised to see him looked at her like she had grown horns. Did he not want her to go? Her spirits dampened, Kagome prepared herself for a rejection.

She didn't want to leave! He fought every urge he had to grin like a fool. His mission to go alone and think, flew away on the warm clouds of Kagome's breath. "H-hai." Quickly turning away, his thick hair hiding his red cheeks. 

Brightening, Kagome smiled and brushed her shoulder against his as she charged ahead. Grinning as she went, she thought to herself, one down, nine to go!

Inuyasha stared after the dark head that ran ahead of him. That had been intentional, was she upset at him? She normally didn't act aggressive like that. Shaking his head, he let the though go.

As the morning wore on, Kagome continued to make small contact with Inuyasha. Gathering the dry pieces of wood as they went, Kagome made sure that their hands brushed twice as the reached for the same log. A small smile played at the corner of her lips. This wasn't that hard. She had already gotten three touches in. But when she went for the fourth try, the hanyou pulled away. 

What the Hell was she doing!? His ears flattened. Maybe she was just being clumsy…maybe not. It wasn't that he minded that she kept touching him, but it felt different somehow. A wind blew up the snow around them, momentarily blinding their eyes. Inuyasha gulped.

As she tried again to touch his hand, Kagome's feet tangled with an unseen root under the snow, her arms shot out as she fell. She would never be sure if she had dragged Inuyasha down with her, or if he had tried to grab her before she stumbled. But the only thing she knew was that when the snow had cleared, Inuyasha was looking up at her. His body was partially enveloped by the white snow, red hakama and kimono in stark contrast to the white. And on top of the demon was Kagome. His cheeks were also red. Kagome couldn't read his eyes, so she settled on retreated by lowering her head and resting it on his chest. 

Trying to keep his breathing even, as the snow sifted around them like sugar, Inuyasha stared up at the bare trees, dark against the white sky. What was going on??? Kagome's weight on his body was warm, comfortable, but strange. It was like she had planned it. He pushed up. "Are you okay?"

"Um, I think I hurt my ankle. But it's okay." Kagome swallowed. As nice as this felt, Inuyasha felt wrong beneath her. Struggling to her feet, she managed to stand, but knew that there was no way she could walk. "You go on, I'll go back to the village." She smiled through the curtain of her humiliated pain and stooped to gather the fallen wood.

As her fingers trembled, pulling the sticks closer to her, she made sure to keep her head down. Waiting for him to leave, the silent tears dripped stubbornly from her stinging eyes. God, how had she been so dumb? He'd probably dash away now. She started as Inuyasha's foot appeared momentarily and kicked the wood away.

"Dummy…come on. I'll carry you back." He stooped beside her and motioned for her to climb on his back.

More stubborn tears escaped from her eyes. "Um, I don't think I can." She slumped down in the snow, her ankle throbbing painfully. She yelped as Inuyasha scooped her up in his arms, shifting to arrange her more comfortably next to his chest and leapt away.

Blushing, Kagome decided that this would count for the touches up to nine. That only left one…

Inuyasha almost dropped the girl as her hand gently traced the side of his face. "Uh, Ka-Kagome?" 

She smiled, "Nothing, it was only an eyelash." Sighing, Kagome decided maybe it was time to start looking for some similarities between them. If she didn't try that one too, she'd always have to wonder.

To be continued.

What do you all think? Love you all, Darth Mer Mer   



	7. Chapter 5, long neglected Common Interes...

Gomen, gomen, gomen…I'm sorry that this story has lain fallow for so long.  Many of you have waited patiently (some not so patiently) for this part and I hope I do it justice.  A quick note so you do know that I didn't just abandon you all, in the time that I haven't written, I've moved to Japan to work with the JET program.  More importantly, I've also gotten engaged!  Yea!  So to say things have been hectic would be a smidge of an understatement…love you all.  Hope you enjoy this and that it was worth your wait!  I own no one they only live squished in the small space below my futon.

Darth Mer-Mer 

13 Ways to Kind of Say I Like You

Chapter 5, Common Interesting…

_Dear Diary,_

_It took me forever to think of something other than the shards that binds me and Inuyasha together.  Granted, part of that was my own denial.  But maybe this will help sort out some things that haven't been said yet.  The book said "Common Interests"  and I only thought about that in the sense of hobbies or sports.  Of course Inuyasha doesn't play sports….granted he'd be great at track and the high jump.  Anyways, I didn't think that other than instant noodles there was much from my time that held his interest. But I don't think that would be a good topic to have a conversation about…_

_The shards were out…my ankle is too swollen to walk and I have been sentenced to bed rest for the next two days.  Stupid root.  Although I did like being carried…I can't give up.  Even though this may be really hard, I can't just quit!  So I kept thinking and finally, it hit me.  We have the most in common through the people we know.  And since I know a lot about Sango, Shippou and Miroku…that left only one person that had a common bond between us…_

_This is going to be really hard…I hope I can do it._

_Kagome_

The snow fell quietly outside as Kagome shut the cover of her diary.  In her other hand, she held the almighty book with her fingers marking her place in the pages.  Her foot hurt…it had been a while since anyone had been in the hut with her.  As far as she knew they were all still out looking for the proper herbs and who knew what else to make a compress for her.  She hoped they would come back soon…it was dark and lonely and cold here by herself.  Rubbing at her leg absently, she read the passage again.

"Many people start out as friends before becoming more.  This is a wonderful way to begin a relationship because you have common ground to stand on before building a new life together.  For instance, my husband was and still is very interested in Kempo when we met.  Because of that, I started to study martial arts on my own too.  Because of this, I think that he was able to influence me to be a better person.  

"Now, some of you may be thinking of running off and copying your honey's every interest, but my advice is find something that can work as a bridge between you.  Every relationship will work better if you each meet halfway.  He goes down the bridge ten steps and you go down the bridge ten steps.  Trust me, this way you won't get upset that you are the one doing all the work."

Kagome slid the book between her futon and the rough tatami mats on the floor.  A bridge, huh?  Something or someone that connected them.  It hit her again how hard this was going to be.  But if it could bring them closer, then maybe it would be worth the price of her pride.  Again, she went through her little rehearsed speech in her mind.  Taking a deep breath to collect her thoughts she closed her eyes and started to practice.  

"Inuyasha?  I was wondering if it would be okay if we talked about Kikyou…I know she was, I mean, is import-"

KA-THUNK!

What in the world was that noise?  Kagome whirled around and stopped.  Her eyes went wide.  Oh no, she thought, now I've done it!

It was the sound made by a stunned Inuyasha as he dropped the medicine jar he had been holding to the floor.  Standing motionless in the doorway, the hanyou tried desperately to shut his gaping jaw.  Kagome wanted to talk about KIKYOU?  Oh, ye gods, what had he done…she only brought up Kikyou if she was really, really mad at him.  Usually he knew when he had done something wrong.  He had become at least that good at interpreting the girl after their time together.  But now, he had no idea what he had done.  The color rose to his face as he stooped to pick up the jar.  Maybe she was just mumbling…if he ignored it, maybe she'd forget about what she said.  "The other's will be back soon."  He murmured under his breath.  "They're still trying to find some sort of salve for your foot."  He carefully sat on the edge of the futon, refusing to look at the girl.

Ahh, crap.  Kagome winced and smacked her head for her stupidity.  All of the rehearsed lines and sensible statement she had worked so hard to think up had flown out her ears as soon as she saw Inuyasha standing behind her.  "Ah, I see."  She gulped.  Her foot throbbed painfully under the thick padding of the blanket.  Then there was silence.  

The silence stretched on.  Inuyasha coughed slightly and scratched at his ears to rid them of the snow.  Good, he thought, no more talking about Kikyou.  With a sigh, he slumped forward, his head still spinning from the implications of Kagome's words.

Kagome only sat, her face crimson in the light of the midday sun.  Oh, good grief.  She was NOT going to let Kikyou come between them even in thoughts when she could be somewhat useful as a tool of conversation!  Dammit!  Kagome's fists curled around the blankets as she looked up at the hanyou, sitting patiently at the foot of her bed.  "Inuyasha, I want to talk to you about Kikyo."

Ah, shit.  Here we go…  His ears drooped as he cast the girl a sideways glance.  "Why?"  Then in an effort to avoid the topic all together, he dipped one hand into the pot of mashed herbs and lifted the coverlet over the girl with the other.  If that didn't get her off topic, nothing would.  

"Because, she was someone who was, I mean, is important to you and I know almost nothing about her!"  Kagome was not that easily distracted.  Her feet shivered as the cold air hit them…the pleasant warmth that had grown under the covers quickly dissipating into biting cold.  Her ankle seized painfully.  "Ow owowow."  She leaned forward to pull her feet back under the cover but the boy stopped her.

"Hang on, these'll help."  He swatted her good leg out of the way, allowing her to tuck and curl it under the cover again as he sat cross-legged in its place with his back facing her.  Gently as he was able, he picked up her bad leg and settled it over his knee.  

"Quite ignoring me!"  Kagome smacked at the hanyou's back.  Then she tensed as his fingers soothed the medicine over the swollen parts of her foot.  "Who was she?  She wasn't always like she is now, right?"  Her voice dropped.  "You wouldn't have loved her otherwise."  

His fingers stopped.  His eyes were hidden by the unruly tangles of his hair.

"I know you, you wouldn't have fallen in love with her all those years ago if she hadn't have been a different person.  Why?  What made you love her?  Why was she so special to you that even now you still love her!"  Kagome clapped her hands over her mouth in surprise and realized with dawning horror what she had just said.  It was the first time she had even admitted such things to herself, much less to throw them in the face of the one she herself was trying so hard to get to love her instead.

He took a breath.  And then another.  Unsure of what to think or say.  "You're right.  She was different before Naraku tricked us."  He cleared his throat as if the word had to fight their way.  

Kagome bit her lips, she had come this far…at least he was talking now.  "So, please, tell me what she was like."  Her hands found his hair and tugged.  When he looked back at her, she offered him her most brave and understanding smile.  "I…I just want to know."

Okay, so she wasn't mad at him.  But why on earth would she, out of the blue, want to talk about Kikyou of all people?  Inuyasha shifted and continued to put the medicine on her slender leg.  "She was so different…from all the other human I'd seen, you know."  His voice got softer.  "There was so much sadness in her.  But back then she fought it."  He smiled wanly, his eyes sad.  "Not like now…somewhere, she just gave up.  But before all the stuff with Naraku…she was gentle and refined."  His fingers stopped to get more medicine, "And she had so much hope for the future.  For herself, for the people she loved, even for me…she always had hope."  Taking a deep shaking breath he continued.  "That's why its so hard for me to see her like she is now.  She has no hope left for her or anyone else.  She just wants to die."     

"Before, she was always worried about others.  Even me.  Every time I tried to attack the village, she's stop me and force me to talk to her.  She was so sad, she wanted to be normal so badly.  What others thought of her really mattered to her.  Almost too much."

The reiencarnation of said girl shifted.  "What did you all do when you were alone?"  Well, nothing like a point blank question there Kagome.  Like he'd actually answer that question…

"Usually, we'd just talk…"  He whispered.  "Kikyou had trouble relating to the other people in her village.  One time, she even said she felt like the hanyou…with her powers and all."  He chuckled low in his throat.  "Sometimes she just wanted to get away from her life.  It wasn't easy for her to be so powerful, you know.  And the villagers always took her for granted.   It didn't matter to them that she was just a girl or that she was tired of her life…all that they saw was the priestess who was supposed to protect them.  So sometimes, we'd go away for a while and she could relax.  And we'd talk."  His cheeks were an incriminating pink, letting the young girl know that talking hadn't been all they'd done all the time.  "But, she was important to me because she accepted me…and wanted me to be better."

"But, she wanted you to become human."  Kagome turned sad eyes to him.  "How did she accept you if she wanted to you change?"  

"Well…"  Damn, she had him there.  He hadn't thought of it like that, he had seen it as a way for him to be better.  "She just wanted what she thought was best.  And she was human, so sometimes she made mistakes."

Here it goes, she thought… "Did you love her?"

 Damn, girl was asking some personal questions all of a sudden.  But the tone in her voice made him answer.  And he answered truthfully.  "Yes.  I did."

Now for the hard one, "Do you still love her?"  Well, yeah, this was going just splendidly.  Have the man you want talk about his old flame in five easy words.  

Here came another truthful answer… "I don't know.  But I know I did before she changed."  

Kagome shifted his hair through her fingers like sand.  "I..I'm glad that at one point, she was different."  The words choked in her throat.  "I was worried, that since I have the same soul…that, that I would…end up like her."  Her forehead gently bumped his back and stayed there, a warm, pleasant weight.   

"Feh, I wouldn't worry about that."  He snorted.  "You're nothing like her."  His eyes widened as he felt Kagome's anger build behind him.

"Oh, really?"  

"I didn't mean it like that…"  He managed to squeak out as Kagome's hands squeezed his neck.  

Kagome raised an eyebrow over a glowing red eye.  "How did you mean it, Inuyasha?"  If he hadn't meant it like it sounded…

"You don't have to hope all the time!"  He barked out.  "You make things happen, you don't just sit and wish for things to get better.  I don't have to worry about you getting sad enough to do something drastic!"  He shouted and wiggled lose of the girl's clutching hands and turning to look at her.

Kagome's mind raced…now would be the perfect time for her to ask the same questions that she had about Kikyou only about herself.  "Inuyasha…"  She sat up straighter.  "I-"

Shippou bounded through the door like a little streak of furry lightening.  In half a second, he was in Kagome's lap and nuzzling against her.  "We're home!"  His small smiling face robbing her of her words, her voice and her hopes for asking Inuyasha about how he felt.  But yet, she smiled, curled her arms around the little kitsune and kissed the top of his head.

"Welcome home…"  The rest could wait until later.

  
Okay, Don't kill me okay…I'm rusty…and in a bit of a fowl mood.  If you liked it, please tell me, if you didn't, go on and tell me but I won't listen…love you all.  DMM                


	8. Chapter 7, Off shot, hot topic and rippe...

In the wise words of Monty Python, and now, for something completely different….

Chapter 7, Off shot, hot topic and ripped out pages.

_Dear Diary,_

_Okay, so it's not a big surprise that I didn't pull off Chapter 7…well, I literally pulled it OUT.  Okay, okay I totally wimped out.  But there was no way I could do something like that to him.  Anyways, it was so embarrassing that I had to tear out the pages to keep myself from blushing too much.  Every time I even thought about it I wanted to die.  There is NO telling what he would have done if I had tired that, he freaked out so bad about me just touching his hands…and the whole talk about Kikyou got us absolutely no where… _

_But there's more chapters.  I'll just have to keep my chin up and keep looking.  Now, I wonder where those ripped out pages went to…_

_Kagome_

Her foot still throbbing from the medicine, she just couldn't bring herself to do it…that blasted book had yet to work and the last strategy, albeit her idea, had only served to push them further apart.  She hobbled along, Inuyasha at her side, one arm around her waist to keep her from hurting her ankle further.  Cursing her luck, Kagome looked up to see the well looming in the distance.  Off all the times for Inuyasha to decide that she could go home…this had to be the worst of all.  She was afraid of losing all of her hard won confidence with one fell swoop if she went home.  But it had been decided, surprisingly by Inuyasha that it would be best for her to go to her own time and visit the hospital to check her foot.  The last thing he needed, he had said was a lame shikon detector.

And so off to the well they went.  Kagome's heart sinking with every step…she had really screwed this up…she thought as the ripped out pages of the book slipped out of her bag.  Now she was being all but banished to her own time.  Fighting back tears of pain mixed with sorrow and disappointment, Kagome trekked as best she could while all but hanging on the hanyou.

Her state did not go unnoticed by said hanyou.  He glanced down every now and then to make sure that she hadn't really started to cry.  The dark crown of her head was gently pressing into his shoulder, soft hair whispering in the cold winds.  He knew what she was feeling, frustration hadn't targeted only her.  Sighing, Inuyasha shook his head.  The girl had been acting strange.  He still didn't know why or exactly what she was up to…but the next time she tried something, he was gonna call her on it.  That was the plain and simple fact…something was up and to be a good protector he needed to know what was up.  

Below him, Kagome squirmed in her silent misery, thoughts of being tossed alone down the well haunting her thoughts.  A small smile played at the corners of his mouth.      

"Come on,"  Inuyasha grumbled beside her, "It ain't that bad.  I'm going with you so cheer up."

Kagome barely had time to look up and smiled before he had leapt down into the well.  

…

Within the next two hours, the lost pages were found by small hands.  Rin, her hair bound in its normal messy way, toddled back to Ah-un and Jaken, her feet wrapped warmly in scraps of fabric.  "Jaken-sama…what is this?"  She held out the sheets of paper to the small demon.  Another wind blew cold air and snow up around them and shook the pages.  Ah-un blinked their eyes and then rested their heads again, awaiting their master's return.

"It's paper you little whelp."  The old demon, Jaken sneered.  Damnable little child, always bothering him, never a moment to himself anymore.  The runt had even taken away the small amount of favor that Shesshoumaru had shown towards him.  Then he looked more closely at the papers.  What in the world? Snatching the sheets out of the small one's hands, he began to decipher the strange text.  His eyes squinted as Rin hopped on tip-toes behind him.  "Well, it looks like some sort of spell…"  He raised an eyebrow.  Interesting.

Rin grabbed the pages from the shriveled creature and clambered up Ah-un's back.  Swinging her feet, she tried to read the letters, but they all looked funny.  She tilted her head to the side and looked down.  "Jaken-sama.  What do they say?"

"I would know if you hadn't yanked the thing out of my hands, you brat!"  He quickly followed suit thought as his curiosity got the best of him. Settling in beside the whelp, she dutifully handed over the pages.   "Hnn," he looked closely at the strange writings before him.  "This is what it says…"

"Now that you have gotten used to small touches, see chapter 4, we're ready to move on to the biggie.  Now don't be shy, if you have read this far it means that the one you want is a little bit dense.  But fear not!  Just because they aren't real bright doesn't mean they aren't worth the effort.  

Now then, we have worked on body language already.  Now it is time to help your love relax.  They have either had a hard day at work, or school or somewhere depending on your ages.  So you know they have had their share of stress today.  So let your fingers do the walking and let your honey appreciate the fact that you care enough to give them a back massage."

Jaken raised his eyebrow.  O-okay.  Well he definitely didn't need this type of girlie nonsense in his powerful hands.  He handed the pages back to the little girl and with a pat on her head said, "There you go Rin.  There's pictures, figure it out yourself."  And in a huff walked away from their small camp.  

Rin on the other hand, studied the text carefully.  In her young mind she knew that there was something to be gained from reading this knowledge.  She looked up as Ah-un raised their heads.  Shesshoumaru was home!  She bounded down and ran to him.  "Shesshoumaru-sama, are you stressed?"  

Carefully stepping over the snow drifts, less his immaculate clothing got dirty, the demon lord stopped and looked down at the young girl with one eyebrow gracefully arched.  "No…"  He settled down in a seated position near Ah-un and set his two swords down beside him.  Then to alleviate the child's forlorn look, "Only tired."  His eyes settled on the girl as she shoved something in the back of her obi, obviously trying to hide it from him.  Curious, he thought, I will get it from her later, when she is asleep.  Then he set about ordering Jaken to take care of making a fire…the child looked cold.  

Night was quickly approaching and even in the thick snow, the forest came alive.  The moonlight driving the night creatures to run and hunt and feed.  But in the shelter of one of the old trees, Jaken, Rin and the great Shesshoumaru slept, or pretended to at least.  Rin was waiting…she had studied the pages by the dying light of the fire until she was absolutely positive that Shesshoumaru was asleep.  Because, once he was next to nothing could wake him up.  His brother turned human once a month, but he was next to helpless when he slept.  His strange eyes were closed, breathing rhythmic and as steady as a drum.  Beside him, Jaken also was snoring and gibbering things about Rin being a brat and the many easy ways that he and Sesshoumaru could get rid of her.  Rin grinned and patted Jaken on the head to make him be quiet.  She knew that he didn't mean any of that…he was just being…well, being Jaken-ish. 

As the moon reached it's zenith and Rin was desperately fighting a loosing battle against sleep.  She made her move.  The child crept closer.  The demon was still sitting cross-legged in the moonlight, his hair shining like trapped diamonds in the glow.  The pages rustled as she grabbed them out of her obi.  Rin, standing like a warrior princess, reviewed her plans and began the assault.  

Rin had been correct in her assumption that the demon lord couldn't be roused after falling asleep.  And if he had actually been asleep, then maybe the plan would have gone without a hitch, but he wasn't asleep.  Indeed he was very much awake and alert.  Sesshoumaru watched all of the child's actions through almost closed eyes.  He had to stop himself from raising an eyebrow as the child disappeared behind him.  To fully find out what she was up to, he had to keep up a good act of sleeping.  

The child crept behind the demon, her small hands held out in front of her like a cat.  With a deep breath, she pushed at the demon's back, her small fingers getting tangled in his hair and the soft fur of his tail.  She pushed harder.  He didn't budge.  Hmm, she took a step back, strange, there had to be some way to get him to lay down on his stomach…

He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at this maneuver.  Quickly he returned to his blank face as he heard the little girl creep around to his front again.  Making quick work of it, Rin began to tug at his feet, carefully untangling them from their seated position.  As she did so, one of his knees popped.  It popped very loudly.  Rin scampered behind the back of the great demon lord and remained perfectly still for about three minutes.  "Don't wake up,"  She whispered.  "Don't wake up!"  

Sesshoumaru was deftly keeping the look of pain off of his face.  Faking sleep was more difficult than he thought.  A strange thought entered his mind…did his unworthy half-brother have these type of troubles?  He too was traveling with a girl.  She couldn't possibly be as much trouble as Rin was when she got an idea in her head.  At least Inuyasha's wench wanted to go to her own time, all Rin wanted to do was follow him around.  A small smile tugged at his mouth as the little girl began to stir again.  But it made things a little more…

Rin resumed pushing at his back.  It hurt.  With his legs out to the side, Rin was attempting to place the great lord into a split.  The back of his calves and thighs ached.  Sometime during all of this the end his tail had gotten caught under one of his legs.  Rin pushed and shoved some more as something else popped.  Finally the tail came loose from the leg that had pinned it to the snowy ground.  Again something made a low pop and Sesshoumaru hit the ground face first.  

It was cold, the snow was starting to melt under him.  This was not a pleasant thing…indeed this was somewhat of an unrefined position for a demon lord to be in.  Still, he was curious as to what the girl had in mind.  So unrefined position or not, he remained in his state of mock-sleep and waited for the child's next move.

Rin clapped her hands together and wiped her brow.  That had been hard work.  Those popping sounds would have woken the dead…thankfully Sesshoumaru slept better than anything dead.  Granted, she supposed that anything alive would sleep better than something that was dead…dead things don't sleep.  She nodded her head at her own train of though, proud of the way her brain must be growing to give her such good idea.  She consulted the sheet again.  Okay, step one, all done.  The subject was on their tummy with their back exposed…well, almost.

Rin began to work on untangling the fluffy mass that was Sesshoumaru's tail.  Her small hands rumpled the soft fur and the demon sighed at the thought of getting _those_ tangles out… slowly the tail unrolled and was tossed aside by the child.  Rin was ecstatic by this point.  Not only had she triumphed in getting Sesshoumaru to lay down, she had also beaten the tail!  She giggled and swept his hair off his shoulders and let it too fall into the snow.  "Good, puppy!"  She whispered and quickly looked around to see if Jaken or Sesshoumaru had stirred.  Neither had, although if she had looked closely, she would have seen the demon lord gritting his teeth to stay calm.  

She again stared at the pictures, okay, steps one and two were done.  Now she could start.  Her small hands flexed and she popped her knuckles.  She didn't really know if this would work, but she was willing to try to get Sesshoumaru to relax.  With a deep breath, she raised her fists and began to beat them up and down his back.  Granted they were little girl beats, but they were still strong enough to be painful.  Still, he remained silent and still.  Confused as to the child's actions, but slightly amused as she continued to pound on his back.  Strangely, he felt the muscles in his shoulders, so long cramped and tired, begin to relax.  Was that paper some sort of spell?  His eyes drifted shut again.

Rin stood, time for the last part!  Her mind reeled but the papers had been right so far, she hoped that this would also be correct.  Another deep breath.  She watched as the moon cast shadows on the snow and on Sesshoumaru's hair.  She backed up three steps and swung her arms.  "Sei, no…"  And leapt into the air.  She flew for the space of a heartbeat and then landed feet first in the middle of the great demon's back.  The child proceeded to stomp up and down the demon's back until she had heard at least sixteen pops.  All the while said demon was grimacing and trying very hard not to kill the child.  Finally, the small feet disappeared and the demon was free to move again.  He waited until he could see the child curl up on her blankets on Ah-un's back.  He waited another handful of minutes until the tired child fell into a light doze.  He stood, stooped as a catch in his back flared to life, then straightened…he felt his spine shift and then snap into place.  He rearranged his tail, throwing it back over his shoulder with practiced ease.  Careful not to wake her, he took the sheets of paper out of Rin's hands.  His eyebrow, long neglected its rightful pose, rose to a graceful slant.  How in the world did she get these…?

About an hour later, Sesshoumaru appeared at the door to Kaede's hut.  Miroku was the first to wake and see him and rose to his feet, staff ready.  "Hold, Priest.  I have no business here that requires fighting.  I came only to return these to you."  He held out the papers.  "I would appreciate it if you did not let this kind of material slip into the hands of children."  He turned and walked away without another word.  Miroku only blinked and stared at the torn pages.  Interesting…

About five minutes later, Miroku's face sported a fresh red color the shape of Sango's hand.  He also faced a cold night alone outside of the hut…

  
So, what'd ya think?  I know it is a little OCC but you rarely see Sesshoumaru with Rin when she hasn't been kidnapped or something…we all know he's fiercely protective of the girl.  And she acts pretty open with him, so I think that she can get away with just about anything when it comes down to it.                                         


	9. Chapter 8, Relax, the Rabbit Who Would B...

And now back to our regularly scheduled program, Inuyasha and Kagome's trip to the doctor...is it a good idea? Of course not. But hey, it's fun!  
  
Chapter 8, Relax,ãthe Rabbit Who Would Be King...  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
The results of Chapter 8 were surprising to say the least. Granted I don't think that that poor intern will ever be the same after this. Just leave it to a certain person to make something as dull as going to the hospital, interesting.  
  
But Chapter 8 helped me build up a little bit of my confidence again. And it was interesting to see how people looked at Inuyasha...I mean I know he's a little different, but the way people stared at him was really rude. Even the little kids were staring...granted the doctor wasn't that helpful either. Although I never thought that it would have ended up like this...poor Inuyasha...I'll never look at rabbits the same way again...  
  
Kagome  
  
It hadn't been that bad in the beginning. She had even enjoyed it for a while...her ankle did truly hurt and she was tired. The throbbing pain had kept her awake for at least two nights. And being toted around like a princess was nice...to a point. The point had come and gone as Inuyasha had carried her down the main shopping street near her house in order for her to go to the hospital. Even her mother had been no help, she had even gone as far as to suggest he carry her there...and amidst the screams and death threats from her injured daughter, Mrs. Higurashi had drawn the hanyou a map, smiling all the while.  
  
The worst part was that people were staring at them. It would have been strange enough for a normal boy to be carrying a girl like this, but for a boy with white hair streaming out from under a too small baseball cap in authentic Sengoku Jidai clothing, red no less, to be carrying a girl like that. Well it was a show many people would never again in their lifetime see. And many of them wanted to make sure they had every single detail of the scene memorized, or at least it seemed that way. To stare like that, Kagome growled, it was as if they were foreigners just off the plane from Narita! Still huffing and puffing, her ankle sore and kicking as well as it could in protest, Kagome glared up at Inuyasha.  
  
Said Inuyasha was enjoying this a lot more than he wanted to let on. Finally Kagome was getting a good dose of humble medicine. It was about time that she just chill out and let him take care of her for a while. Anyways, it was easier to think about all the people staring at them than the talk about Kikyou. Sudden as it had been, it had put some very disturbing thoughts to rest for him. Not that he'd ever admit that though. Kagome was straining in his arms again, tugging her coat closer around her shoulders and trying to hide her face with the folds of her scarf.  
  
Oh, god, even the shopkeepers were watching now. They leaned out of the crowded, narrow doorways of their colorful and overflowing shops. The man in the shoe store stared blatantly at Inuyasha's bare feet on the almost frozen tile that lined the shopping street. The woman in the stationary shop, leaned around an outside display, pretending to rearrange her wares as she looked slyly at them through the rim of her glasses. Even the hot chestnut seller in his tiny cart parked at the intersection of the covered road and the real one peeked out of his curtain and whistled. Let me die now! Kagome's mind screamed as her ankle continued to throb in time with her heartbeat. And then, thankfully, he turned and they were on a smaller and wonderfully less crowded side street. The roar of the bikes and footsteps and the weight of the stares finally subsided into the lesser din of normal Tokyo life. A few more minutes and a lot less stares brought them to the entrance of the hospital. The huge rock that marked it's place was scratched with the Hippocratic Oath and also a fair share of faded graffiti. Kagome cringed. She didn't like the doctor on the best of times and the hospital was always dank and dark. There was no place in the world that she despised more than the hospital they had arrived at.  
  
Inuyasha shifted the shivering girl and gently set her down, one arm around her waist to steady her. He answered her question before it even left her throat. "I figure you don't want me to run in there carrying you." He felt her nod and grit her teeth. Lifting off her in waves was the stench of fear. Was this place, this dull building that smelled old and sick, something to fear? His ears perked up searching for sounds that would prove dangerous, but found only the muffled sounds of some kid crying and strange whirrs and beeps.  
  
Kagome took a deep breath. This was stupid. The hospital had never been anything but dull and boring and the time spent there had always ended up with her feeling better. Wither it be a cold or a bump as a child, her doctor had been much kinder than the normal Japanese doctor. She secured herself, testing the weight on her foot and leaned into the hanyou. "Well, here we go." She said quietly. Together they hobbled up the last of the stairs into the frosted glass door that led to the waiting room.  
  
It had been a while since she had been here. Kagome noted that the red nagahide waiting couches had been replaces with more subtle blue cloth things that resembled a long, coiling snake. The walls had a fresh coat of paint that actually succeeded in making the room feel warmer. She let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Inuyasha felt the girl relax into him and then start to make her way to the covered glass window. The nurse waiting there looked at them quizzically but left her opinions to herself which suited Kagome just fine.  
  
"Good afternoon, miss. Do you mind signing in?" The nursed slid a small notepad under the glass partition.  
  
Kagome fished her medical book out of her small purse and quickly wrote her name on the pad in front of her. She briefly considered putting down Inuyasha's name too, but though that it would probably just lead to more questions and stares and decided against it. She finished and led the hanyou to the furthest seat from the coughing old women, the wheezing old men and the mothers with bawling children. The couches were so much more comfortable than they had been when she was smaller. They were firmer but still let you sink a ways into them. Kagome sat awkwardly, her ankle preventing her from sitting normally. Inuyasha sat in a huff beside her, glaring at all the people who were staring at him. This place smelled funny and if anyone tried anything to get at Kagome while she was injured, he'd see to it that they'd pay dearly.  
  
Halfway across the room, a small boy was staring over his mother's shoulder at the hanyou, his thumb tucked securely in his mouth. His wide dark eyes were at war as to wither or not to keep staring or fall asleep. Tiny hand raising up in the air, he pointed and then tugged his mothers shoulder to make her look too. "Mama, lookit."  
  
"Keitaro, it's rude to point at peop-" She got only this far into her lecture before stopping and staring with the rest of the patient in the waiting room.  
  
Kagome had had enough, she stuck out her tongue at the rude woman and promptly shifted to lean against the hanyou. He stiffened beside her but relaxed as the weight of almost all the gazes lifted at the show of affection. Kagome grinned at her triumph.  
  
About half an hour passed before Kagome got bored, even if Inuyasha was warm and comfortable, her ankle still hurt. The people had finally quit giving them the hairy eye-ball and were going about their own business for once. Inuyasha was silent beside her. His arms were tucked in his red sleeves and his eyes were shut. She knew better than to think he was asleep but at least he had relaxed a bit. It would have been much more comfortable to have laid down and just pillowed her head on his legs, but a reasonable amount of decorum must be followed. Inuyasha had the good sense to let her walk in here on her own, she knew better than to screw that small favor up. So instead, she pulled out the travel worn tome of womanly knowledge and began to read Chapter 8...  
  
"Okay, it is important to understand that the flames of passion and love should have time to rest. A blaze can only last for so long and many faithful readers want a long term relationship with this person, I should hope. So understand that it is okay to turn down the heat from time to time.  
  
For instance, imagine that you are having a romantic date, in the most beautiful place in the world. Everything is perfect. There's candlelight, a fancy dinner, romantic music. And most importantly the one you love looking back at you with THAT look in their eyes that lets you know the only thing that exists in that moment is you...But then imagine if you had the exact same date forty times in a row. The candlelight would seem too dim, the food, repetitive. Even the music you once found so enthralling will get on your last nerve. Even your love's eyes would seem dull after wearing the same expression for so many nights.  
  
This is because your idea of a perfect evening and his idea of a perfect evening is always changing and evolving. Sometimes, and don't get me wrong because dates can be quite wonderful and fulfilling, it is better to let ourselves be doted on in the way our honey wants to dote on us. Not all the men out there are the lyrical equivalent of Romeo or Shakespeare. Some are broke and cannot afford such a luxurious display of affection. Even then there are some people who have so much trouble showing emotion that a kind comment can turn into a rap song about brick-like thighs...But there is one common factor that seems to unite all men. If they care about you, they will want to take care of you.  
  
Now for many independent women in this day and age, it is difficult to step back and let your honey try to deal with everything. Especially when you are used to taking care of yourself. But even the most independent of women must let herself lean on the one she wants. Trust, and I cannot say this enough, is a must for any successful relationship.  
  
Let him take care of you. Depend on him for a while. It will let you relax and let him feel like an important and useful person in your life. It might just do the trick to makes him fall for you in more ways than one."  
  
Kagome sighed, it wasn't that she didn't trust Inuyasha it was just that he had a way of messing things up pretty badly sometimes. Of all the things she didn't need right now was for him to pull his Great Defender act in the middle of her world. It was fine when they were in danger, she was smart enough to understand that against particularly strong youkai she didn't stand a chance without him. But here was a different story. Here it was embarrassing. It was unnecessary...  
  
The small voice in her mind started to babble at her. "Well it's hardly his fault! You can't ask him to turn off his instincts as soon as you want him to! That's not fair at all. It's the same thing when he tries to keep you from studying. He can't ask you to not be Kagome, and it's not fair for you to ask him not to be Inuyasha."  
  
Grumbling, she shoved the book back in her purse, flinching as her ankle twinged at the sudden movement. Beside her, Inuyasha opened one gold eye and watched curiously. She'd been toting that thing around with her for a while now. It wasn't one of her textbooks, she never studied THAT hard. This looked like she was practically trying to memorize the damn thing and not the usual studious disdain that was reserved for math, English and literature. Whatever those were. His ears twitched inside the hat, tickling madly. If only this was over with. Kagome was always singing the praises of her 'modern' doctors and the teko-no-roji they possessed to heal wounds, broken bones and other sicknesses. What good did it do you if you had to wait outside for a day and die there waiting? Just as he was about to voice his opinion to Kagome, he heard an unfamiliar voice call out her name.  
  
Kagome was deep in an argument with her mind when she heard her voice called by the nurse at the door. Her mind turned to the more important task of walking to the examination room. Ankle throbbing with red heat, she began to struggle with her weight to shift into a position she could get up from and not scream with pain. With a blur beside her, she found a hand reaching out for her.  
  
"Come on. Let's go."  
  
It wasn't harsh. It wasn't angry or annoyed, it was calm. It was kind. Her face flushed pink and for a moment, her pain was forgotten in the rushing beat of her heart. And in just four words, Inuyasha had convinced Kagome to at least try the idea in Chapter 8...she'd let him take care of her. For a while...  
  
About an hour later, Kagome sighed and put away her diary. She placed the entry after the first part of the exam. During that time, Inuyasha had been the perfect gentle-puppy. Granted she had to swat his face away when they were checking her weight and he had just about attacked the poor intern who had listened to her heartbeat with a stethoscope. Inuyasha's defense had been that the [expletive] had had his [expletive]ing hand on her chest. Kagome had to admit that was true and skimmed her anger away and explained how people could listen to your breathing with the instrument, but only as long as it was actually touching. His response had been the all famous 'keh.'  
  
Now they were waiting for in a small curtained partition. Beside them they could hear the low moans of someone sleeping fitfully and a rasping cough on the other side. Under the cool exterior, tension ran along the boy's body like an electric wire. There were so many sick people here, Kagome ran the risk of dying from the coughing disease if they didn't leave soon. In her weak state, she'd surely catch any of the demons that were inhabiting the people around them.  
  
Kagome, said catcher of demons, was sitting quietly on the clean white sheets of the bed. Her ankle had really started to ache because of the cold and the stress that she had put on it. What if it was broken? She blanched.  
  
After a while the doctor finally arrived, sweeping the curtain back like a magician doing a trick. Inuyasha glared at him from the corner.  
  
"Well, Kagome, it's been a while." The doctor chatted pleasantly as he tried to rip her ankle from her leg.  
  
Kagome gritted her teeth, lest the Great Protector decide to intervene. "Yes it has. Don't know how I didn't see that last step there. I feel so silly." She made an effort to look embarrassed as the pain flared up through her leg again.  
  
"And who's this?" He nodded at the boy crouched on the chair beside the bed, knowing smile on his face.  
  
Kagome quickly thought of an answer. "Oh, that's...uh...Norten, he's an exchange student from uh, Finland. You know, where the Vikings came from?" As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she wished to take them back. Good grief! Finland?! Norten?! VIKINGS!? No one would believe-  
  
"Ah, I was wondering why his hair was so white!" The doctor proclaimed. "I studied in Finland once when I was in College! Wonderful place, such pale hair on the rest of the students, felt kinda out of place if you know what I mean."  
  
Inuyasha grumbled from his perch. "Perfectly."  
  
"Wow, your Japanese is so good! Didn't you think it was a hard language to learn?"  
  
"I only said one word, you moron."  
  
Kagome shot him a look. He was silenced. "Well," the doctor said, "It looks like just a sprain, but let's do an X-ray just to make sure." He twisted her ankle one last time, leaving the girl with sudden smarting tears in her eyes.  
  
Behind her she heard someone growling...  
  
Some doctor this was! Inuyasha growled again, low in his throat. All he was doing was hurting Kagome...and she was sitting there, just letting him. Usually she'd fight back if someone was out to cause her pain, but now she was acting like a meek little lamb, biting her pretty lips (ah, he meant, lips...just lips!) and trying not to let her pain show. Enough was enough! He'd stop this...it had been his idea to bring her here, but still! With all the stealth of a panther and all the tack of a mach truck, Inuyasha vaulted to assault the doctor as he turned his back.  
  
As the doctor left, Kagome all but sprang at the hanyou in an attempt to keep him from attacking the poor physician from behind. Again, the pain in her ankle roared as she moved too fast and left her supported, yet again, only by Inuyasha's strong arms. Then gravity set in and they tumbled to the ground, Inuyasha still trying to remain on the chair, wobbling to and fro. For a moment, she blushed, fought the urge to smack him and relaxed as he settled her into the crook of his elbows. Kagome sighed with relief as her pain eased.  
  
"Hey, do you two need a minute?" An intern had chosen that moment to come into the partition with a wheelchair. The bubbly young woman asked her question again, her eyes wide and teasing as Kagome only gaped at her stealthy arrival. "Cause if you do, I can just leave this here and you can take her down..." A small smile was playing on the aid's lips. Goodness, it had been a while since she had seen a couple come in together and then proceed to this so quickly...not that she really thought they were doing anything. She only enjoyed teasing people sometimes, and it was therapeutic to some. For most a little embarrassment could help them forget about pain. But still they made a strange scene, the girl halfway off the bed in the arms of the strange boy who was all but defying gravity balancing on a chair.  
  
With a guff voice, hiding most of what he meant, Inuyasha replied curtly, "Sure, give us a minute." With that, he pushed the woman back a bit and drew the curtain, Kagome still clinging to his shoulders. With a surprised giggle, the woman back up a little more...ah, to be that young again...and said, "Well, take your time! X-ray is on the fourth floor just past the Children's Ward."  
  
Oh, my god...Kagome's face felt like someone had put a 100 watt heat lamp inside her face. But her embarrassment was short lived as she found herself all but mashed into the wheelchair. "Inuyasha, what are you doing?!" Chapter be damned, this was going too far!  
  
"I'm takin' care of you..." He mumbled as he arranged the girl more comfortably into the strange contraption the apprentice had left. After sweeping his eyes over the girl, he stuffed a pillow behind the small of her back and one behind the injured ankle that had caused this mess in the first place. "Just sit there and heal for a while...that damned doctor of yours probably broke your leg just now so be still."  
  
Kagome hesitated, debating on wither or not to turn and look at the boy. She could hardly believe her ears...Chapter 8 was actually working. A flush worked its way up her lithe body and painted the tips of her ears red. Okay, she thought, maybe it's best if I don't turn around...  
  
Looking down at the incriminating ear-tips, the hanyou bent down and brushed her bangs away from her flushed face. "You got a fever too?" Before she could so much as utter a word, his lips were on her forehead.  
  
Approximately 5.2 seconds passed...  
  
Kagome needed a valve...yep, that's what she needed. A release valve for all the pressure that was building up in her body. A way to dump all the heat and return her thoughts to the way they used to be before this strange boy had been planted into her life. A switch even! Just twist and bam! There goes the heat that was impeding her mind. Thankfully, this wasn't a cartoon or else her ears would have been squirting steam like a tea pot and her traitor's body would be whistling Dixie...  
  
Oh, my God...he's actually kissing me. I can't believe it...what do I do? What do I do? Inuyasha is kissing my forehead in the middle of the hospital and all these strangers are staring at us...it'd be better if it was on the lips...what am I saying!? Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. What if he...what if I...what if we...ohmygod.  
  
What do I do? Well, it's not like this is a real first kiss...probly doesn't even count on that score. But still it's nice and why the heck does he have to do it in public!? What do I have to do to get him to do this kind of thing when we are alone? Woah, bad Kagome, down girl! Just take it easy, let him take care of you and this situation. God, I wonder what he's thinking...? Why is it that only my face is this red?! I'm gonna melt...  
  
Inuyasha's mind was considerably calmer. Nope, no fever. She's ok.  
  
And with that, it was finished and Kagome found herself wheeling down the hallway, their speed causing her face to cool. Uh...  
  
"Don't make a big deal about it...that's how we check for fever." He grumbled behind her, catching his long sleeve in the spokes of the wheel. As always, Kagome's silence spoke volumes.  
  
Gee, sure knows how to spoil a mood...Kagome's mind grumbled. Her dark hair flying, she shook her head and looked up at the passing walls. They were turning from the usual infected snot green to brighter, happier colors accompanied by dancing pictures of clowns, unicorns and princesses. They had arrived in the Children's ward...little did they know that would be their undoing.  
  
Inuyasha had not seen the rabbit. But the rabbit had seen Inuyasha. Standing over six and a half feet tall it was a wonder that both Kagome and the alert hanyou had missed it, but the giant pink bunny was of less concern at the moment than the fever testing method of the previous moment. The man didn't exactly love his job, but he took pride in his work. And it seemed that his role of 'Children's Entertainer' was about to be usurped by someone who didn't even have a decent costume. Dressed in red feudal clothing and a very unrealistic, if he did say so himself, white wig this boy was on par with the Power Revengers who came on Tuesdays and play battled in the children's ward. In a word, he was tacky. Everyone knew that the people who wore full body costumes were more apt to entertain children. Who else would allow the small sickly children to romp and roam, climb and tug? Only the well padded could pull off such a feat.  
  
This line of thought when with the recent development that some punk from Furinkan High School had taken to bringing a live Panda into the ward. A live panda that could write...If the clientele kept expecting fights and real animals, he would be out of a job! If this upstart was going to try him...one of the children pulled on his tail. "Mr. Rabbit! Mr. Rabbit! Is that your friend?" The little girl, her hair in messy pigtails, pointed one tiny finger in the path of Inuyasha and Kagome.  
  
"No, my dear...that is the evil White-haired Wheeler Man!" He spoke in a hushed voice as the children gathered around him. His large pink arms waved as he weaved his story of intrigue. And wither or not he knew it, the man inside the bunny suit was a fair storyteller and the children were hanging on his every word. "See the girl? He has kidnapped her, the Princess of, uh, Ankle-land!" Inwardly, he groaned, it was obvious that the girl's ankle was hurt by the way she was sitting, but still...Ankle-Land? He shook his head, floppy ears flapping. A job was a job and this job happened to be fun and well paying, he'd be damned if some brat was going to muscle in on his territory.  
  
The children at his feet rose like the tide and raced to block the path of the as of yet unaware duo of 'White-haired Wheeler Man' and 'Princess of Ankle-Land.' With cries of "Halt, fiend!" and "Stop in the name of Love and Justice" it was obvious these children were well versed in the language of fairy tales.  
  
Inuyasha stopped, rolled the chair to an easy rest and stared at the spectacle in his way. Had they just called him the "White-haired Evil Wheeler?" It was then that they both noticed the huge, pink bunny suit that was approaching them with all the menacing likeness of cotton candy. They stared for a minute as the massive hulk of pink fur and padding advanced on their path to the X-ray room. "Halt! Evil One! Return the Princess to us at once or suffer my wrath!" Behind the gargantuan titan of a bunny the children cheered!  
  
Inuyasha raised one dark eyebrow and leaned to Kagome. "And this is what? The other doctor for this place?"  
  
Kagome stifled a giggle. "Uh, play along..." Slightly taken about as to being called a Princess, Kagome blushed again and played it up. It was for the children after all. Behind the rabbit, she could count at least ten small kids who looked as if they had been here for a while. If this was their only entertainment, it was best to help out. "Oh, save me, heroic rabbit!" The last part of her speech came out an octave too high to hide her laugh.  
  
Inuyasha looked down at her for a minute, sighed as the rabbit approached him and pulled out Tetsusaiga. There was a collective "ooooooh" from the children. The rabbit blanched.  
  
"Feh, the Princess wench is mine..." He looked down for a moment and then started to laugh like Naraku. "Bawahahahahaha..." Kagome shuddered momentarily. It was a fairly good impression. The children shuddered along with her.  
  
One brave girl shouted, "Get him, Mr Rabbit!" In turn, the Rabbit nodded and stuck a pose that looked suspiciously familiar to Kagome who's brother still loved Masked Rider and the other superhero shows. The rabbit in fact was quite surprised at the sword...whereas the outfit looked completely bogus, the sword looked surprisingly big, sharp and scary. But the children were cheering him on...  
  
Inuyasha tensed...  
  
The children held their collective breath...  
  
Kagome clasped her hands to her chest and tried to look damsel-ish...  
  
The rabbit hopped towards the hanyou, with all the speed and grace that only the heavily padded and furred can produce and then sprung.  
  
Inuyasha followed suit but collapsed with a considerable amount of good acting as the rabbit glanced him with one huge foot. As he fell, he sheathed the sword and yowled as he struck the floor in dramatic fashion.  
  
Behind them the children cheered. The Rabbit stood victorious. And said Princess of Ankle-land was wondering why it was taking Inuyasha so long to get up...  
  
Later that night...  
  
"Kagome, what happened?" Mrs. Higurashi ran to meet them at the front door of the shrine. "I expected you two home hours ago..."  
  
Kagome looked up from her place beneath Inuyasha's arm. "Well, Mom, the good news is that my ankle isn't broken." She huffed, out of breath as Inuyasha sat down on the stoop. "The bad news is, Inuyasha's ankle is..."  
  
Looking dejected and ornery, the hanyou attempted to scratch under the bulky cast that now encased his left leg. He couldn't bring himself to look Mrs. Higurashi in the eyes.  
  
"Oh, my! How did that happen??"  
  
Kagome looked up, smiled and said, "Well, there was this rabbit..."  
  
...  
  
Ta-da! See, here it is...I didn't forget you...I just got lazy. I'm sorry. It's 10 pages long...and that's on 10 point type. I still love you all! Please review for me okay? DMM 


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